Best Lead Guitarists of All Time

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The Top Ten

1Kirk Hammett - Metallica

Kirk is the best guitarist. His speed is awesome. If you don't believe it see him playing master of puppets it was great

This should be richie sambora... Kirk maybe still great but no one can beat how sambora melodized the guitar

Why isn't Eddie Van Halen on this list?

2Slash

This is not fair at all. Kirk Hammett's solos do not have the emotion that Slash's solos have. BOO!

Slash you got to be kidding right Joe Satriani is 10 times the guitarist that slash will ever be he is the guitarists guitarist and is a teacher and he has teached Kirk Hammett Steve Via John pettruci Alex Scholnic as well as many others slash shouldn't even be in the top 50 there are much better guitar players than him! Slash the hack if you ask me! Ted Nugent is 66 years old and can play circles around slash! Slash is nothing but a pop rock star and is liked because of his popularity not his guitar playing skill!

This guy is the king of all guitarists. He has such passion towards music. His fingers move like lightning all over the guitar.

[Newest]I vote that slash is better than Hammett.

3Angus Young - AC/DC

4Jimi Hendrix - The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Mick Thompson better than Jimi Hendrix, that is comedy. LMAO I know this is someone's idea of a joke, and it's funny. Jimmy Page couldn't crack the top ten... it's getting funnier. I mean Page is no Kirk Hammet... we all no that, rofl!

Jimi is the greatest guitarist that has ever lived, is still living or ever will live.

This website's main demographic is 12 year olds which love queen, linkin park, maroon 5, and 1 direction and are spoiled brats with iPhones.

5Dimebag Darrel - Pantera

dude, maybe Slipknot is you favorite band; but you're going to receive many bad comments in this list because you put Mick Thompson in first place... mainly because it is so wrong that he is before Jimi and Dimebag, and you forgot many great guitarists like Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Dave Mustaine, Marty Friedman, Alexi Liaho, Zakk Wylde, John Petrucci, Rhandy Rhoads, Michael Angelo Batio, Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert, Eric Clapton, Glenn Tipton...

rock2metal

Don't get me wrong... Hammet is one fine gutarist, but he doesn't belong in the number one slot or even the top five (and Metallica is one of my favorite bands) I'm sorry to say that, but it's true! And Dimebag should be in the top three, he blows.. Or should I say.. Could have blown Hammet out of the water.

6Synyster Gates - Avenged Sevenfold

Syn's skill is amazing! Sweep picking, dive bombs, hammer ons and pull offs, sliding. He's a master of it all. Most of his solos are superfast and clean at the same time. The solo from afterlife is what you should listen to. Jimi hendrix set his guitar on fire. Syn can do the same. ALL HE HAS TO DO IS PLAY IT! HE PLAYS SO FAST HE MAKES SLASH SEEM LIKE A ROOKIE!FoREVer

Why 11? He should be 5 or 4

7Jimmy Page

Synyster gates? Better than jimmy page? I don't think so. Jimmy page was the second greatest guitarist that ever lived the first being jimi hendrix.

The Contenders

OF course he is. He created his own tuning. Kirk is good but just any regular guitarist

Of course Mick Thompson's #1. His guitar powers are controlled by the power of his mask. My inspiration.

13Adrian Smith - Iron Maiden

14Michael Padge Paget - Bullet For My Valentine

Man he is so underrated :(He should be on top 5 :(

Tears don't fall, shows what he is

15Jeff Hanneman - Slayer

16Johnny Ramone - Ramones

17Paul Gilbert

18Daron Malakian - System of a Down

Just for the madness he has got, I would rank him in top ten. My personal favorite though.

19Dan Donegan - Disturbed

Haha, Disturbed's my favorite band and I love Danny to death. However, he should not be in the the top 20, let alone the top 10. That's not to say he's bad guitarist. He's an excellent guitarist; the man learned how to play just by watching someone on TV and he down-picks exclusively. Considering this list is bad enough as is, I'll support the home-team and give the guy my vote

20Joe Satriani

21Alexi Laiho - Children of Bodom

22Brad Delson

He rocksHave you ever heard waiting for the end?

23Matt Bellamy

24Marty Friedman

The mastermind of thrash metal...melodic and technical at the same time...every single solo he writes is just amazing...he should be at 1

25Yngwie Malmsteen

There has never been one like him!

26Frank Marino

This guy was doing taps before Eddie Van Halen was even around he was also the first to use the wireless on the guitar as well as the first to do the backward guitar sound he was way ahead of his time and was the first after Hendrix died to do that style of music as well as some Hendrix songs on the guitar! No one sounds as close as Hendrix than this guy can if he wants! He also builds his own amps and effects pedals to meet his personal sounds and needs!